Spring is here… if it ever left.  Last year’s brilliant late summer turned into a spectacular autumn followed by an amazingly moderate winter.  And now, in early March, our spirits lift as the sky is bluer, the sun is higher, the birds are louder and the air smells fresher.

Daylight savings time has kicked in, browsing deer are stepping gingerly around the emerging crocus and daffodils and we look forward to the spring holidays of Easter and Passover, for many a time of rebirth and new beginnings. Read More

A really nice Holiday Wine Guide from the folks at Food and Wine.

“The people who love to eat” have issued another amazing source of all things delicious for Thanksgiving.  You’re bound to find something useful in their Recipes, Ingredients, Menus, Drinks and Videos.  Enjoy!

Summertime and the living is easy… and it’s hot. Time to remind everyone that room temperature for red wines refers to the cool, damp rooms of the aristocracy of the 16^th and 17^th century. i.e. European castles and chateaux.  That translates to a range of 55° to 65° or 30 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator.

That doesn’t only mean at home or on the patio but even more importantly in a restaurant.  When you are spending 3 times retail price for a bottle of wine when dining out (and that’s another issue), the least you should get is wine at the proper temperature.  If when you are presented the wine for approval, it tastes warm, ask for an ice bucket and cool the wine down.  An additional benefit is the look of consternation on the face of the server.  Check out this article from Epicurious’ Ted Loos for additional comments on the subject.

Last summer we observed that Rosés were enjoying a resurgence of popularity.  Happily, we can report that interest is continuing.   Click on the image (or this link) to see a nice roundup from one of the hallmark Rosé regions, Provence, courtesy of Snooth online.

You will be prompted to signup for their newsletter.  It’s optional but we encourage you to do it.  Snooth provides a wealth of wine information.

Spring is here (Yea!) and with it, two of the most table-centric holidays of the year… Easter (late this year on April 24) and Passover (eve of April 18).  Wine pairings for these Spring holidays generally follow traditional lines. Bordeaux, Cabernet and Syrah for lamb and brisket. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and off-dry whites (chiefly Riesling) for ham. Read More

The winter holidays, Thanksgiving through Christmas, are all about the festive table.  Though common entrees include ham, crown roast and prime rib, turkey is the star.

The good news is that nearly any wine goes well with turkey.  It’s the sides that are the challenge.  They run the gamut from sweet, salty, spicy, vegetative (brussel sprouts), tart, creamy and so on.  Remember the rule of thumb that preparation methods, sauces and seasonings determine the wine match more than the protein (entrée) itself.

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Typical wine writer hype? Not really, according to major growers and Georges Duboeuf, perhaps the most famous négociant/producer in the region.  2009 may be the best year for Beaujolais “… of a lifetime”.  Which is really good news for a region that hasn’t enjoyed much popularity or notoriety in recent years. Read More

I had a deja vu experience last weekend while walking a favorite wine shop.  Like three years ago, the featured wine of this season is… Rosé?  It seems that again some sort of “100 monkey syndrome” has occurred in the wine world this summer.  The featured Summer wine du jour is the once maligned Rosé.  Wine writers are referencing the French who have always appreciated their dry, fruity roses as a matter of course with light, savory foods as well as the increasingly available California Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and even Grenache Rosés.

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A Wine Spectator post… sharing grilling tips from chef Daniel Boulud.  Elevating the classic burger  along with classic Cabernet and Cabernet blends that complement grilled meat.